Coliseum commissions Hafsah Aneela Bashir for the Homemakers project

Homemakers is series of new commissions inviting artists to create new works at home, for an audience who are also at home. These fully funded commissions are an offer to groundbreaking artists to challenge the definition of “live performance” – whether through live streaming, recordings, games, interactive stories, personal encounters, or something completely different.

Hafsah is creating the Poetry Health Service as a tool for healing. Using both her own poetry and gifted poems, she will provide poetry panaceas by the people for the people. Emphasising the importance of art to our mental and emotional health, the PHS will be accessible both online and via a dedicated phoneline where people will be able to respond to the service. The idea came from Insta Live readings Hafsah has been delivering every day at 2.30pm since the lockdown.

Hafsah commented: “I’m so excited to receive a Homemakers commission – one that will draw on my lockdown connections made with strangers on insta Live through our simple love for poetry. This is the beautiful birth of the Poetry Health Service.”

Coliseum Artistic Director Chris Lawson added: “We’re delighted to be working in association with our Greater Manchester neighbours HOME. We feel the PHS project, led by Hafsah, is a vital and necessary artistic service that we are proud to support.”